The designation BT stands for Bystrochodij Tankov, or “fast tank,” which was a new class of tank developed in the US as the M1931 Race Tank. Seeing as the US government was initially uninterested in the development, the original inventor, Walter J. Christe, struck a deal with the Soviet Union for the commision of agricultural tractors, which, once on Soviet soil, were converted to the original BT-1s at the Kharkov Komintern Locomotive Plant. The BT-5 variant entered service in 1933 with a redesigned turret similar to the T-26, but otherwise matched its predecessors in that it featured very little armor and relied heavily on speed as the tank’s main defensive tactic.

Specifications:

Speed: 55 km/h (39 mph)

Total Weight: 9,253 kg (20,400 lbs)

Crew: 3

Main Armament: 45mm model 33 gun

Range: 200 km (124 mi)

Additional information about this Brickmania® custom building kit:

The BT-5 Cavalry Tank features an extremely unique front design with posable front and rear fenders. Also included are smooth rolling track links, two opening turret hatches, a larger rear hatch, brick-built extra gas cans, and a fully functioning turret.

Model Statistics:

Designed by Daniel Siskind

427 LEGO® and Brickmania® elements

High-quality sticker sheet

Full-color printed building instructions

1/35th scale to match other Brickmania kits

Sophomore Skill Level (2-4 years building experience recommended)

All Brickmania model kits are made of new-condition LEGO bricks. This model comes disassembled and includes complete printed building instructions and comes packaged in a sealed box. This is a limited-edition kit and production may be discontinued at any time.